Pitchfork 2012: Best and worst Sunday performances

Scott Strazzante/Chicago Tribune

I was wrong, ok! All this time, I've been writing the NYC band as fluff--songs to buy chinos to. No longer. They make hit songs. Ear candy. Toe tapping pop music that everyone danced to, from rappers to the venue staff. From "A-Punk" on through their encore featuring songs like "Giving up The Gun" and "The Kids Don't Stand A Chance," the whole thing was a delightful end to a quagmire of a weekend. Runner-up: Araabmuzik: It wouldn't be fair to rate this whole encounter without splitting it into two shows. The first was Abraham Orellana complete and utter massacre of an MPC sampler. His hands working faster than The Flash getting to second base, the producer/beatmaker rolled through thunderous instrumentals that weren't hard to get into, even if thunderous instrumentals aren't your thing. The second show...well, that was a coming-out party for Chicago rapper (and local firebrand) Chief Keef and Lil' Reese. The two rappers have both signed major deals, but the crowd must have missed the boat on the hype, as when the took the stage to perform their super smash "I Don't Like," only 40% of the crowd went nuts. Still, the juxtaposition proved to be a wild way to spend a Sunday afternoon. --Ernest Wilkins

I was wrong, ok! All this time, I've been writing the NYC band as fluff--songs to buy chinos to. No longer. They make hit songs. Ear candy. Toe tapping pop music that everyone danced to, from rappers to the venue staff. From "A-Punk" on through their encore featuring songs like "Giving up The Gun" and "The Kids Don't Stand A Chance," the whole thing was a delightful end to a quagmire of a weekend. Runner-up: Araabmuzik: It wouldn't be fair to rate this whole encounter without splitting it into two shows. The first was Abraham Orellana complete and utter massacre of an MPC sampler. His hands working faster than The Flash getting to second base, the producer/beatmaker rolled through thunderous instrumentals that weren't hard to get into, even if thunderous instrumentals aren't your thing. The second show...well, that was a coming-out party for Chicago rapper (and local firebrand) Chief Keef and Lil' Reese. The two rappers have both signed major deals, but the crowd must have missed the boat on the hype, as when the took the stage to perform their super smash "I Don't Like," only 40% of the crowd went nuts. Still, the juxtaposition proved to be a wild way to spend a Sunday afternoon. --Ernest Wilkins (Scott Strazzante/Chicago Tribune)

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ. I'm kidding. The band is an acquired taste; If you like dream pop (I had to look it up), then these two are your Beatles. If you dig some basslines, then look elsewhere. Co-worst: Kendrick Lamar: Dude, forget Lady Gaga. The pop chanteuse/motivational speaker showed up for no reason other than to smoke weed, wave to people and bop around like an idiot. Her arrival helped to derail a promising set from Compton rapper/"future of the west coast" Kendrick Lamar. Once word got out that she was there, everyone spent the rest of the time attempting to shoot pics and tweet "OMG GAGA IZ HERE IS SHE BANGING KENDRICK? #p4k" completely killing the show's energy. Also not helping matters was Lamar's stunted attempts at audience participation. Listen homie, don't ask the crowd what they want to hear from you, just do your set. Disappointing experience. -- Ernest Wilkins

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ. I'm kidding. The band is an acquired taste; If you like dream pop (I had to look it up), then these two are your Beatles. If you dig some basslines, then look elsewhere. Co-worst: Kendrick Lamar: Dude, forget Lady Gaga. The pop chanteuse/motivational speaker showed up for no reason other than to smoke weed, wave to people and bop around like an idiot. Her arrival helped to derail a promising set from Compton rapper/"future of the west coast" Kendrick Lamar. Once word got out that she was there, everyone spent the rest of the time attempting to shoot pics and tweet "OMG GAGA IZ HERE IS SHE BANGING KENDRICK? #p4k" completely killing the show's energy. Also not helping matters was Lamar's stunted attempts at audience participation. Listen homie, don't ask the crowd what they want to hear from you, just do your set. Disappointing experience. -- Ernest Wilkins (Scott Strazzante/Chicago Tribune)